Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Heuchera sp. cultivar Silver Light.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Heuchera plant, botanically known as Heuchera sp. and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Silver Lightxe2x80x99.
The new Heuchera is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Scottdale, Pa. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Heuchera cultivars having good plant vigor, dense and uniform plant habit, and showy and attractive flower and leaf coloration.
The new Heuchera was discovered by the Inventor in a controlled environment in Scottdale, Pa., from seedling progeny from a self-pollination made by the Inventor in May, 1998, of the Heuchera cultivar Silver Maps, not patented. The new Heuchera was selected by the Inventor in May, 1999. The selection of this plant was based on its desirable flower and foliage coloration.
Asexual reproduction of the new Heuchera by cuttings taken in a controlled environment in Scottdale, Pa., since August, 1999, has shown that the unique features of this new Heuchera are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The cultivar Silver Light has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Silver Lightxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Silver Lightxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar of Heuchera:
1. Full, densely foliated and uniformly mounded plant habit.
2. Upper surfaces of leaves silver in color; lower leaf surfaces dark purple in color.
3. Numerous showy pink-colored flowers arranged on erect panicles.
4. Excellent garden performance.
Plants of the new Heuchera can be compared to plants of the parent, the cultivar Silver Maps. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Scottdale, Pa., plants of the new Heuchera differed from plants of the cultivar Silver Maps in the following characteristics:
1. Leaves of plants of the new Heuchera were more silvery in color than leaves of plants of the cultivar Silver Maps.
2. Inflorescences of plants of the new Heuchera were shorter than inflorescences of plants of the cultivar Silver Maps.
3. Flowers of plants of the new Heuchera were pink in color whereas flowers of plants of the cultivar Silver Maps were white shaded with pink in color.
Plants of the new Heuchera can be compared to plants of the cultivar Silver Scrolls, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,066. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Scottdale, Pa., plants of the new Heuchera differed from plants of the cultivar Silver Scrolls in the following characteristics:
1. Leaves of plants of the new Heuchera were more sharply lobed than leaves of plants of the cultivar Silver Scrolls.
2. Leaves of plants of the new Heuchera had more extensive venation than leaves of plants of the cultivar Silver Scrolls.
3. Inflorescences of plants of the new Heuchera were shorter than inflorescences of plants of the cultivar Silver Scrolls.
4. Flowers of plants of the new Heuchera were pink in color whereas flowers of plants of the cultivar Silver Scrolls were white in color.
Plants of the new Heuchera can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Jade Gloss, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,137. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Scottdale, Pa., plants of the new Heuchera differed from plants of the cultivar Jade Gloss in the following characteristics:
1. Leaves of plants of the new Heuchera were more silvery in color than leaves of plants of the cultivar Jade Gloss.
2. Leaves of plants of the new Heuchera were flat whereas leaves of plants of the cultivar Jade Gloss were cupped.
3. Flowers of plants of the new Heuchera were pink in color whereas flowers of plants of the cultivar Jade Gloss were white shaded with pink in color.